MoulinRouge

:) It was created by the very talented HighteeHeller. It's quite sensual, guaranteed to make even Unicorn Hunter say.....mmmmm.....maybe Trip and T'Pol aren't such a bad couple after all. B) :) Hightee's done a marvelous job editing the images and setting them to Chris Issak's "Wicked Game." Just right click and save to your computer to save her some bandwidth. It's a lovely video. Very striking.

http://infuzionjewelrydesign.ca/wicked%20games_0002.wmv

I wouldn't be too eager. You'll end up with dashed hopes. This is internet scuttlebutt and "what ifs?". JMS is busy on his B5 movie, a real challenge now that they have to write around Richard Biggs' death. :) This was an idea pitched awhile back by JMS and his partners that didn't come to fruition. Moore and Pillar also had ideas that were pitched when they were doing their round of interviews for the new BSG. Every sci-fi writer out there has ideas for Trek. JMS was supposedly the one who had the DS9 idea stolen from him. It would be nice if he were on board with ENT but I wouldn't count on it happening. Let's say there are a few hard feelings.

I am encouraged that JMS is so complimentary of Manny Coto's abilities. Manny's show--Odyssey 5--was a well thought out series with fleshed out characters. I saw it. You should feel fortunate that the day to day running of ENT next year will be in Manny's hands. That's confirmed on Trekweb and TrekBBS. Brannon is stepping back and Manny is stepping in. We need to put our trust in who's already on board. Everyone has a brilliant idea for the "next Trek series." TPTB need to concentrate on this series. I don't care how long ENT lasts or how good it gets; filmed Trek needs a rest after ENT concludes. Part of ENT's problem is beyond its control, that there's been too much Trek back to back on screen. VOY should have been the resting period but it wasn't. Hopefully ENT will go out on a creative high, whenever that is, and Trek will lay fallow. It does need a rest. If they go directly into a sixth series it's not going to work no matter how good it might be or who creates it, JMS or Mickey Mouse.

We are the hard core fans here. The general public is burned out on Trek and most forms of sci-fi for that matter. The " highly sucessful" Angel was only drawing between 4 and 5 million viewers a week. I checked it out at zap2it.com. In terms of mainstream numbers those aren't very high. It was successful in the small niche/genre culture of fans but not in the mainstream at all. If JMS were going to be an ENT writer that would be great but don't get your hopes up too high. JMS and Paramount are not on good terms. Ouch.

This is the article I was referring to in the "Is ent safe?" thread. Yes, it's quite in to bash Trek and Trekkers in the mainstream. I keep hoping against hope that it will somehow catch fire and pick up a few viewers on Fridays. The X-Files did. JAG did. It would be quite wonderful. I can't help but feel that Manny and Michael Sussman (who will join in producer's duties) are of the mindset that if they're writing under the gun they damn well are going to go out on a creative high while Rick and Brannon are all too willing to coast out and well as they coasted in. They'll write the best scripts possible. Heck, I would if I were in their shoes. I'd throw in twists, take risks, piss a few people off. Hell, why not? What are they going to do? Threaten to cancel my show? They've been doing that for over a year. That infamous report from the "unidentified source" at tiny little syfy portal that said Rick and Brannon were ordered to "wrap up" storylines? What about it? While I doubt it was real and was majorly irritated by the brouhaha it caused, I also doubt that UPN gives a flip one way or the other what storylines are "wrapped up." They don't care, period. Such is part of the problem. Mike and Manny have style and they're better writers period. They seem the type who'll say, "By God if you trash me I"ll write the best, most exciting stories out there." Rick and Brannon do not seem like that type. They were too willing to coast and play it safe.

Before anybody starts to think our letters didn't do any good, they did. Like I said, though, it was Paramount who needed to know we exist--not UPN. I said that a hundred times. I wish I had a ten spot for every time I typed it.

http://www.triphammered.com/support.shtml

That is evay's page. She has the pertinent snail mail addys.

UPN isn't going to spend any significant money advertising ENT. It will all go to America's Top Model, which it considers more profitable. Outside of UPN itself (and the audiences on the other nights are not ENT's demographic) UPN didn't spend one penny advertising ENT last summer. I'm serious. Not a cent. Bakula and Keating said so in interviews as did Billingsley. No commercials on Spike, no magazine inserts or radio spots like I heard all over for Smallville. It spent a little more later on during February sweeps on a few commericals on Spike, but that's it. The only time I ever heard an ENT promo elsewhere was in tandem with a much longer promo for America's Top Model. Tyra Banks touted ATM on Good Morning America, BTW. ENT was not mentioned. Heck, UPN didn't even run promos for ENT's next episode during ENT for a while in January.....remember? We were all so mad. That's a network that wants to kill a show.

Summer is when the networks must spend money advertising. UPN will spend next to nothing advertising "Enterprise" this summer. I promise. They wanted very much to kill it. They aren't going to spend a damned thing to advertise it.

If Season 4 Does Well Enough, Would We Still Need To Campaign?    

Yes. Don't kid yourself otherwise. There was a big brouhaha on the major TrekBBS today because TV Guide reported that Paramount lowered its license fee to get UPN to keep ENT on the air. I read the article. It's authentic. It stated flat out that in spite of the thousands of calls and numerous letters and Hollywood Reporter Ads thanking the cast that UPN had decided to cancel ENT anyway--until Paramount came across with the lowered fees and a 2 episode reduction for season four. Paramount (not UPN, two different entities) wants fresh Trek on the air because the fortieth anniversary is coming up in 2006. Fresh product also helps ST book sales and toy sales and DVD sales for the other shows. However, when season four is done they will have 98 eps, enough for a profitable syndication deal for ENT/Paramount a few years down the road after cancellation. The 100 ep "rule" is a myth.

The question is, is having a current Trek series on the air into 2006 (season five would be 2005-2006) important enough to Paramount/Viacom to keep taking a loss on ENT with its huge budget for a fifth season? Many doubt it. It's a crap shoot. The idea is that DVD sales and syndication will pay off in the long run but money is tighter now than it's ever been. Deals like this were cut for VOY, DS9 and even TNG, but the economy was different then. Less competition from other programs. Production costs were less, period.

Parent companies didn't realize during the other series that they could make enormous profits on reality television at literally one tenth to one twentieth the budget of FX ladened science fiction. :o :blink: :P

In other words, things are different now. A bad economy, soaring costs and the 100 percent certainty of turning a huge profit on reality programming have changed everything. In the past, Paramount most assuredly would have sprung for taking the loss in the short run for a fifth season to air into 2006. However, if they feel they can get enough of a return on a syndication deal for four seasons.....they may not bother. Not if the ratings get any lower, which they may on Fridays. It's all very tenuous. Once in a while a show can strike gold on Fridays like the X-Files and JAG did. Some are hopeful that with a lowered budget for FX that Mike Sussman and Manny Coto (who are taking over a lot of Braga's duties in his absence) will be forced to churn out more character driven scripts, at which they seem to excel. That could be very good for ENT. The writers seem to benefit from cancellation concerns. However, will it be enough? If response is positive, will Paramont be willing to take a loss for one more season? It's hard to tell. Will a greedy suit at the top be lured by a fifth season? Will a 120 episode deal (with a season more of DVD's to sell) be considered worth taking a loss for one more season?

I just don't know. One thing is for sure. You'd better have your pens poised again, my friends. Especially you in the UK and Germany and elsewhere. Faxes from overseas might convince the greedy suits that a 120 episode deal (5 seasons on DVD) might be worth taking a temporary loss because it's better than a 98 episode deal (4 seasons on DVD). ENT is not safe, no. Barring a huge increase in ratings, the suits must be made aware that there are fans who would purchase a fifth season on DVD. In the end--money talks. First run syndication on another network might be a possibility. Maybe. Possibly.

But be ready to do it all over again with the letters. As for me, I'm ticked off as I can be that Brannon didn't step back two years and hand the reins to Sussman and get Coto on board sooner. They totally coasted during season two and it cost them big time in lost viewers that they haven't ever gotten back. :)

We wouldn't have gotten a season four if we hadn't campaigned. We can do it again. I wrote so many letters I felt like I had carpal tunnel syndrome.

ENT has been renewed for the fall.

Good grief, only five? Only five. Season three had so many great episodes for a change. How can I choose only five? Okay. Considering from beginning to end if you force me to choose:

5.)Damage Archer's unthinkable choice. What can I say? I loved it. Innocence lost.

4.)Countdown, the most exciting and complete episode of the season. Hayes' death and Hoshi's plight really got to me. T'Pol reaching out to Trip as "Trip" for the first time was delightful.

3.)Twilight really gave the Xindi threat teeth. Poignant, sad, exciting. The one and ONLY time I ever bought into Archer and T'Pol as a loving couple. Captain Trip rocked.

2.)Proving Ground, an underrated gem. Easily Jeffrey Combs' best performance of the year. Shran is a catalyst for such great things.

1.)Without a doubt, The Forgotten. The single most entertaining, poignant, satisfying and complete episode of the season. Connor was fabulous. I felt for Tucker's loss and all the rage he'd been suppressing more than ever before, even though I understood that Archer had a job to do with Degra.

Honorable mention: Zero Hour, Azati Prime, Similitude, Harbinger, Anomaly(came within an eyelash of making the list) Impulse, E2, The Council.

All I know is that a temporal shift was inevitable. I mean, the weapon was full of kemasite so there you go.

As far as Trip leaving a letter for his sister, a wonderful thought but if they are in the past he'd be contaminating the timeline by giving information about the future. He probably would be considered a crackpot by his great great great grandparents. Not to be believed, sadly. <_<

No, not a stranger, Rikerchick. It was me who forgot to log in. This is the only BBS I've ever seen that will allow you to post without logging in.

Eps that I feel you will really enjoy are Anomaly (ep#2) (which you missed tonight but could still catch if UPN in your area reruns ENT on the weekends), Rajiin (#4), Impulse (#5) Twilight (#8) Similitude (#9), Proving Ground (#12), Harbinger (#15), Hatchery (#17) and then everything from Azati Prime (#17) on really, really rocks.

But that's just my opinion. The only ep that I really, really thought sucked rocks may, unfortunately, be the first one you see next week, Extinction (#3) and Exile (#6). Or you may love them. Don't take my word for it. Form your own opinion. Just don't be put off by Extinction. All the others have something to do with the arc whether they seemed to at the time or not.

Actually, North Star (#9) didn't have much to do with the arc but it was pretty cute. My favorite of the season was "The Forgotten." Connor just does lights out in that ep. Not many male actors can cry on screen without looking foolish but he did a beautiful job.

Oh, and "Strategem" (#14) was also quite excellent.

I voted for Harbinger, though its hard to choose between Trip's performances. I flat out enjoyed that ep. I agree that Similitude was not a Trip episode. However, you left off Connor's finest hour--the Forgotten.

I voted for Trip. I'm really liking Archer and T'Pol a great deal more this season, Archer for his inner strength in the worst of circumstances and T'Pol for her willingness to finally allow someone into her personal orbit in a meaningful way.

I'm going to be positive. I say we'll get at least five. UPN is not the only option, you know. First run syndication is always a possibility.

A good solid 8.5 out of 10. Not quite certain what to think of that ending. It was.....words fail me. Didn't love it, didn't hate it, found it totally, totally bizarre. It willl sure keep us speculating, won't it? That's a good thing.

So many moments to love:

Click for Spoiler:

1.)Archer blowing Dolum's head off with the charger on his back

2.)Trip being very Scotty-ish with, "Just give me ten more seconds!" Phlox" "Time's up!" Trip: "It sure is!!" BAM! He blows up the spheres a la Scotty at the last possible moment. Gotta love those TOS miracles.

3.)T'Pol petting Porthos

4.)T'Pol being "intimate" with Trip by telling him how old she is at last.

5.)Hoshi being tough

6.)SHRAN!!!!!!!!!!!! <_<

7.)The ending....I think.

Too darn short, though. Between 8.5 and 9.0. Maybe an 8.75

Let us hope that some of this advertising actually takes place between now and the fall premiere. I love it. They advertise the ep going up against the American Idol season finalé. Terrific. Sorry, but UPN needed to be doing this advertising LAST SUMMER, the jerks. They tried like hell to kill ENT. I hope their new Tuesday and Wednesday dramas tank.

The schedule change doesn't bother me so much. I don't have a chance to go out until Saturdays anyway so it's not a problem. I wouldn't worry so much about SG-1 since it's on a pay channel. SG-1 is rerun I believe at 11 or 12 on Fridays. Both showings count in tabulation for cable ratings. It won't be as much of a problem as people fear. At least ENT won't have to deal with American Idol anymore. Some people will be going out, true, but it all evens out in the end. Some shows are sent to Friday to die and they die. Some, like JAG and Law and Order survive even if the ratings aren't entirely through the roof. It's a crap shoot. Joan of Arcadia actually found an audience on Fridays. It happens. I'm much more concerned with the going out factor than the SG-1 factor. Remember way back when in September when Smallville was supposed to be the death of ENT? That sure didn't happen. Smallville's ratings dropped like a rock all year. AI hit it pretty hard.

Truth is there is something to compete with every night of the week. No timeslot is ideal anymore. Personally, I wish ENT was on a pay channel like sci-fi or Spike myself. UPN is a sinkhole. The ladies at the ENT Project did some checking and UPN is down to under 80 percent coverage nationwide. Some put it as low as only 70 percent. I know plenty of viewers on-line who don't have UPN. It's just pathetic. It's great that they go out of their way to watch ENT on FOX or wherever at midnight on the weekends but it sure would be nice if those numbers counted, you know? On a pay channel they will be tabulated. On a network they don't. The network is given the numbers, but the Nielsens don't count them and the network only considers official Nielsens since it's a question of how much the advertisers who advertise during the regular air time pay for ads. That's the way it's set up. The system is highly flawed. We've asked people in the UPN office. They don't count. That factor can't be overcome no matter what night ENT airs because UPN SUCKS!! :biggrin: :biggrin:

Will ENT make it on Fridays? Only time will tell.

Losing Archer or especially Trip would cause me to quit watching.

How cute. I liked it. <_<

Hoshi. I don't hate her but I wouldn't be sorry to see her go. There's still things that could be done with Mayweather. I'd vote Hoshi. Bring on an Andorian female.

My first vote is for Hayes as the most likely, which I cast, and secondly for Hoshi. Though I'd hate losing T'Pol, her death could motivate great story if it somehow drew the Andorians into play.

As long as it's not Trip or Archer I will not be terribly upset. I'd be sad to lose Reed or Phlox, but it wouldn't put me off the show. If Trip or Archer died it would.

310-575-7000

That's the UPN number that has set up the voice mailbox for ENT specifically. Just ask for the mailbox if a person answers the phone. On a voice prompt I believe it's #3. Leave your message. Tell them that if ENT is cancelled you have no reason to turn on UPN in your home. I did.

There's only two people to write to who can make a difference at this point.

Mr. Garrett Hart

President

Paramout Television

5555 Melrose Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90038-3112

Paramount is bigger than UPN. Hart is Bakula's friend. He's the only suit to have expressed positive support in print, and it's in Paramount's financial interest to keep Trek viable. Write him a paragraph saying you enjoy it and that you'd follow it into syndication or another network. Say thank you. That's all you have to do. I'd rather know that I wrote a letter and did something if the worst comes to pass than wonder if my letter (and the letters of many others who thought "it's just one letter") could have made a differnce.

The other, according to Bakula, is Les Moonves who owns CBS that runs UPN.

Mr. Leslie Moonves

President and CEO

CBS Television

CBS Television City

7800 Beverly Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90036-2112

Can you write two letters? It might help. E-mails won't. I promise.

I'd love to say it's an unreliable source but the fact of the matter is it's not. Variety is usally right in its prognostications about 99.9% of the time where the fate of television programs are concerned. Sci-fi has no room for ENT now that it's purchased all rights to SG-1.

It's over.

From Variety

Frog, UPN face season of challenges, Advice For Netlets: Get More Dramatic

By RICK KISSELL

UPN

Net has something working with its African-American comedies on Monday and Tuesday, and appears to have a viable franchise reality player in "America's Next Top Model," but now it needs to turn its attention to drama.

And that's where most of the attention is focused heading into the fall, as UPN looks for a pair of dramas that could provide a boost to Wednesday, where "Star Trek: Enterprise" is really struggling and likely will not return.

It would be tough to launch two new hours on one night, but the net needs to find a compatible pair among its drama pilots, which include the light, supernatural-tinged "Silver Lake," the lesbian P.I. duo of "Nikki & Nora" and the legal/family tale "Kevin Hill," starring Taye Diggs.

On the comedy front, "The Parkers" ended its successful five-year run this month and could be replaced on Monday by a "One on One" spinoff. Another high-profile entry is "The Bad Girl's Guide," starring Jenny McCarthy.

Until the net gets something going on Wednesday, don't look for it to spend too much energy on Friday, where movies could return. Wrestling's "WWE Smackdown" will be back on Thursdays.

Bottom line: "Top Model" rescued UPN this season, but the net won't be a consistent player until it adds a signature Wednesday drama.

Date in print: Mon., May 10, 2004,

I wish it weren't true, but it is. sigh. ENT should have revitalized the Trek franchise. Darn it, it should have been a rebirth. It should have been beyond popular. I am really, really depressed. Variety is never wrong folks. I suggest you avoid the main boards. The bashers are going to be rubbing it in and crowing like they're in paradise.

As for Trip, in Twilight he confronted her with her decision to ram the Xindi ship and disable Enterprise, but now one minute he's arguing with T'Pol for not getting the ship out of danger (Azata Prime) and goes straight to wondering how he's going to get more sack time.

He's not "wondering how he can get more sack time." He was concerned about her so he dropped by her quarters to check on her. Trip did not strike me as a man thinking with his penis in that scene.

Darn! The overnights and fast nationals for E2 were flat from "The Forgotten" right down to the tenth. No increase at all after such a wonderful episode. :P

Sigh. All we can do is hope that the numbers for the final ratings increase like they did for "The Forgotten." The final numbers won't be out for a week. It always takes a week to get the finals now. The UPN suits are making their decision now. This bodes ill. Oh yes, my friends, ENT could get cancelled. Very easily. Write that letter. If ENT gets canned and you did nothing you'll regret it.